The Meaning of Ezra 2:68 Explained

Ezra 2:68

KJV: And some of the chief of the fathers, when they came to the house of the LORD which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in his place:

YLT: And some of the heads of the fathers in their coming in to the house of Jehovah that is in Jerusalem, have offered willingly for the house of God, to establish it on its base;

Darby: And some of the chief fathers, when they came to the house of Jehovah which is at Jerusalem, offered freely for the house of God to set it up in its place.

ASV: And some of the heads of fathers houses , when they came to the house of Jehovah which is in Jerusalem, offered willingly for the house of God to set it up in its place:

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And [some] of the chief  of the fathers,  when they came  to the house  of the LORD  which [is] at Jerusalem,  offered freely  for the house  of God  to set it up  in his place: 

What does Ezra 2:68 Mean?

Context Summary

Ezra 2:61-70 - The Building Of The Altar
Throughout their history the true Israelites were eager to maintain their genealogy; wherever they were scattered, they carefully guarded their national registers. Each of us should be able to establish his descent and to vindicate his claim to be considered a child of God, a joint-heir with Christ, a partaker in the inheritance which God has promised to them that love Him. If you cannot establish your sonship, you may doubt your right to the spiritual blessings which are a part of the family estates. This is clearly illustrated by the prohibition issued against the eating of the most holy things by the priests whose names were not found in the register. They must wait till the Urim and Thummin attested that they were Israelites indeed. What that witness was in these olden days, the testimony of the Holy Spirit is within us. He witnesses with our spirit that we are born of God.
The first act of the restored Jews was to set up the House of God. For this they gave willingly, and after their ability. The altar was the center of their religion. So the Cross of Jesus is the center of our life and worship, reminding us of His work for us in justification, or His claims in sanctification. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ezra 2

1  The number that return of the people
36  of the priests
40  of the Levites
43  of the Nethinims
55  of Solomon's servants
61  of the priests who could not show their pedigree
64  The whole number of them, with their substance
68  Their offerings

What do the individual words in Ezra 2:68 mean?

And [Some] of the heads of the fathers' [houses] when they came to the house of Yahweh which [is] in Jerusalem offered freely for the house of God to erect it in its place
וּמֵרָאשֵׁי֙ הָֽאָב֔וֹת בְּבוֹאָ֕ם לְבֵ֥ית יְהוָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֣ר בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם הִֽתְנַדְּבוּ֙ לְבֵ֣ית הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים לְהַעֲמִיד֖וֹ עַל־ מְכוֹנֽוֹ

וּמֵרָאשֵׁי֙  And  [Some]  of  the  heads 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m, Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: רֹאשׁ 
Sense: head, top, summit, upper part, chief, total, sum, height, front, beginning.
הָֽאָב֔וֹת  of  the  fathers'  [houses] 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בְּבוֹאָ֕ם  when  they  came 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לְבֵ֥ית  to  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יְהוָ֖ה  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֲשֶׁ֣ר  which  [is] 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
בִּירוּשָׁלִָ֑ם  in  Jerusalem 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: יְרוּשָׁלַםִ  
Sense: the chief city of Palestine and capital of the united kingdom and the nation of Judah after the split.
הִֽתְנַדְּבוּ֙  offered  freely 
Parse: Verb, Hitpael, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: נָדַב  
Sense: to incite, impel, make willing.
לְבֵ֣ית  for  the  house 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
לְהַעֲמִיד֖וֹ  to  erect  it 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine singular
Root: עָמַד  
Sense: to stand, remain, endure, take one’s stand.
מְכוֹנֽוֹ  its  place 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מָכֹון  
Sense: fixed or established place, foundation.